A car stereo amplifier is one of the most basic car accessories around. Car owners use this for customization and enhancing one’s riding experience. For the music lovers, then you need to seriously invest on a stereo for your car to enjoy your favorite music while on the go.

There are different types of car amplifiers or speakers available in the market, which are available in various price ranges. You can choose from popular brand names and enjoy several functions. Hence, you need to make comparisons before opting to buy a car stereo.

The most basic feature is the ability to play music CDs and play radio. In modern types, you can even use a flash drive to play your saved music file. Meanwhile, you can also attach portable music players such as MP3s to play songs on your car stereo.

A car stereo amplifier is one of the most basic accessories that you can use to increase functionality. With an amplifier, you can increase the volume power of your stereo such that you can play music loudly. As with stereos, you need to dedicate enough time to compare amplifiers available on the market.

There are four basic types of amplifier: Two Channel, Three/Four Channel, Five Channel, and Mono/Bridge. In Two Channel amplifiers, you have two speakers on your amplifier connected via left/right connection. For this one, setup is limited and therefore produces only low audio quality.

In Three/Four Channel, a higher wattage is required to send signal to four or five speakers. However, you need enough space on the back of your car to accommodate the amplifier. As compared to the two-channel amplifier, it can produce better sound quality. And in Five Channel amplifiers, you need to connect five speakers into your amplifier. However, it is more expensive than the ones mentioned above.

The Mono or Bridge amplifiers for your car stereo utilize low frequency sounds. This is a great option if you want to produce sound with a strong bass. This is believed to produce the highest quality audio experience of all types of car audio amplifiers.

Ok, so you finally decided that you have a gap in your car’s sound system—you need more bass. So now you take on the daunting task of deciding which type of subwoofer to get. Among the options will be an array of brands, sizes, and types. Let’s keep in mind that subwoofers serve the purpose of providing low frequencies which will provide a depth to your music, regardless if you listen to the classics or the newest hip-hop track.

Size: Is bigger really better? This is a question that is repeatedly asked and is one that makes for an interesting post later down the line. When considering which size of subwoofer to purchase, various factors need to be considered. How much space do you have? What’s your enclosure type? How much power do you have? All these questions will help you narrow down your options. However, if you want loud-kick-ass system, got the bucks, power, and space—go for the biggest you can find!

Power: When shopping for sub you will definitely be faced with a multitude of power ratings, from RMS to peak power. What you will want to pay attention to is the RMS power rating, which measures continuous power handling. Also keep in mind that you want to purchase a subwoofer based on your amplifier, or visa versa.

I hope this helps get you started in the right direction. I will be adding to this guide in Subwoofers Buying Guide: Part II

If you are looking to get subwoofers for your car, then one of the most important decisions you make is where to put them. Commonly when people improve their car audio system by adding subs, they install them into the boot space (or trunk space, if you’re not a Brit). But just what are the pros and cons of this positioning?

Boot space is obviously lost when you install subwoofers. It is important to remember that the enclosure has to fit as well. It is possible to get slim line or smaller subs which would minimise this problem, or custom made bass boxes. If you are already struggling for space back there, then this might mean that you need to look into installing the speakers somewhere else.

It is more difficult to fit the large subwoofers into other parts of your car, however, so if you are looking at 12″ subs or larger, then you might have to compromise on boot space.

Volume is muffled by placing subs in a boot. Depending on how loud you like your music this could be a curse or a blessing. Keeping the subwoofers in the boot does not mean that the sound will be a lot quieter, as the material that separates car boots from the passenger seats is by no means sound proof and the deep bass noises provided by a sub travel easily.

If you do think that the sound is compromised, then you can make small holes in the boot cover and disguise them with thin material. This should allow the sound to come out more easily.

An alternative position for your subs, if you are certain that you do not want to put them in your boot, is to have them behind the passenger seats and in front of the rear windscreen – making sure they do not limit your vision, which could be dangerous. This is a good position for smaller subs, such as 8″, and will give your great quality bass, though it probably won’t make the street shake with the power.

In the end, it all depends on what you want to get out of your subwoofers. If you are a car audio enthusiast who wants the bass line to make your entire body vibrate, then you might consider the subs more important than the boot space. If you just want to hear the details and nuances of the lower notes, then smaller subwoofers in the main compartment of your car could be for you.

When you are buying your subs, discuss your decision with the experts you are buying from. They will have extensive experience and might even install your subwoofers for you. Every car is acoustically different and, having seen your car, they will be able to give you a better idea of the best sound you can get.

To look into a range of subwoofers available for cars and to look into amplifiers and other types of car audio equipment, check out http://www.bassjunkies.com.

Generally there are various approaches to hook up your iPod device to your motor vehicle and listen to your own popular music on the road, hinging on precisely how much money you really want to shell out as well as what the condition of your automobile stereo is. The ideal method, nevertheless, to hook up your iPod device to your auto is usually to use one of three speedy fixes that is not going to cost you much, however, might still get you high-quality sound on the road.

Cassette Adapter

1. For you to avoid the actual cost associated with upgrading your pre-installed vehicle stereo with an iPod-compatible one, if you have an older car and have got a tape deck installed, you could make use of a cassette adapter. Two popular products, according to CNET, tend to be the Belkin Auto Cassette Adapter and the Griffin Intelligent Smart Deck Adapter. They cost about $10 to $20. You simply put the tape in your tape deck and hook the attached cord into your own iPod’s headphone jack.

Auxiliary Input Jacks

2. If you have got a more recent car, your stereo may include a line-in auxiliary input jack. All you need to buy is an auxiliary cable, which you may obtain at any consumer electronics retail outlet. Hook one end into the auxiliary input and the other into your mp3 player. Turn your stereo on “Aux” and the music will play directly from your own stereo.

FM Transmitters

3. In the event that your own automobile contains neither some sort of cassette deck nor auxiliary input jack, connect your mp3 player by means of an FM transmitter. There are several to select from. CNET’s foremost choice is the DLO Transpod. It plugs in to your vehicle’s cigarette lighter, and your current iPod plugs in through a USB port. This model may also charge your iPod whilst it’s being used, and offers a cradle for the iPod. It operates through streaming the audio to the stereo by means of a radio signal on a particular frequency. It might be inexpensive and simple to use, but will sometime lack in reasonable quality due to radio interference.

Mounting and installing amplifiers in vehicles is not always a simple task. In fact it requires a little more work then what one might think. Car audio amplifiers have many different components which work in unison to help improve the quality of sound that is produced from the speakers.

Know where you are planning on installing the amplifier in your car, and be certain to measure the space available for it prior to shopping. When you go shopping be sure to carry the dimensions of the space you have set aside for your amplifier with you so that you can be certain that the one you choose will fit in the space you want it to.

Always ensure that the amplifier you want to invest in is compatible with the audio equipment that you have installed in your vehicle. You will want to test them prior to purchasing them so that you can be certain you are getting what it is that you want. Amplifiers are used to enhance your music enjoyment, so be certain that the amplifier does this and doesn’t distort the music.

If you are looking to double your sound output keep in mind that this can not be done by doubling the power to your amplifier. In order to successfully double your sound output, you must make sure that your amplifier is made to do this. A small output amplifier would not be a good choice to use if you require a large output.

Always consider the different aspects of the amplifiers. There are bridgeable amplifiers that allow a pair of channels to be combined to make one channel of a greater power. These bridgeable amplifiers are usually used to power sub woofers. Then you have the crossover, the channels, the power output and even the distortion levels, all of which add to the overall quality and efficiency of the amplifier that you choose.

Make sure that you know what it is that you are getting. Just because an amplifier is big or bulky does not mean that it is worth the time it would take to install it in your vehicle. Always double check to ensure that the amplifier works properly and in conjunction with your car stereo.

If you are inexperienced then do not hesitate to find someone to help you with the instillation of your amplifier. If installed incorrectly it can cause damage to your audio equipment. Know the stability of your amplifier as well. This means finding out exactly how much power your amplifier can handle.

Always measure your amplifiers stability when installing it in your vehicle. Stability refers to how low of and ohms the amplifier can handle. Ohms are the amount of power that an amplifier can handle. Knowing this can save you from damaging your entire system. If you are uncertain about how to choose an amplifier or even how to install an amplifier, there are local shops that employee people who specialize in this area that can help.

Visit our blog for great tips and advice. There are many different types of car audio amplifiers that you can choose from.